1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conveyor system with movable partitions More particularly, this invention pertains to a conveyor system with movable partitions, which is so designed that powdery goods, grainy goods or other shapeless goods, or loose stuff, such as molded resin articles, can surely and safely be conveyed, when excessive resistance is applied to the lower end portion of a partition in motion, the partition swings rearward to run free of the load, when goods to be conveyed get stuck at the lower end portion of the partition, the partition moves in that state in a load-receiving tray and is flipped over at the front sprocket portion in the running direction to set the goods free, and a guide mechanism is provided to prevent goods to be conveyed from being scattered over the chain belt portion or from contacting the sprocket shaft, staining it, at the time the goods are to be moved off or unloaded for the next process.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are conventional conveyor systems which have partition members provided at the conveyor belt portion to convey a constant amount of goods.
According to the prior art technology, the partitions also serving to push or urge goods to be conveyed are generally attached integral with the conveyor belt, so that the partitions can move as the belt runs. Since the stuff-loading surface of the belt is approximately flat and is open to both sides, however, a large amount of powdery goods or shapeless stuff, when placed on the belt, are likely to fall off from the sides thereof. In this respect, the conventional conveyor systems are inadequate for conveying such stuff. If fall-preventing plates are provided at both sides of the belt, they can prevent the mentioned goods from falling off from either side. Precision is demanded to permit the partitions to move while contacting the stuff-loading surface and the fall-preventing plates without seams, which is difficult to realize. Actually, the partitions move with slight gaps with respect to the stuff-loading surface and fall-preventing plates.
When goods to be conveyed are loose goods, such as small molded articles which are to be taken many at a time, or when runner waste produced between the sprue to the gate at the time of processing articles are to be conveyed, such stuff often gets stuck between the partitions and the load-receiving tray, damaging the partitions or causing the driving mechanism to malfunction.